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Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Saints Elizabeth and Zachary

St. Elizabeth (Feastday: November 5th) The name Elizabeth, which has been borne by several saints, means in
Hebrew "worshiper of God." All that we know of Elizabeth, wife
of Zachary and mother of John the Baptist, is to be found in the book of
Luke. A descendant of the priestly line of Aaron, she was a kinswoman–how
close we are not told–of the Virgin Mary.

According to the Gospel, Elizabeth had lived a blameless life with her
husband in one of the hill-towns of Judea. Having reached an advanced age
with her prayers for a son unanswered, she thought that her barrenness
was a reproach. One day, while Zachary was serving in the temple, the
Angel Gabriel appeared at the right of the altar, and announced that a
son would be born to Elizabeth. It was in the sixth month of her
pregnancy that the Virgin Mary came to visit her–a touching and beautiful
scene pictured by many great artists.

The Angel Gabriel, having lately announced to Mary the destiny that
awaited her, also told her that her kinswoman Elizabeth was with child.
The Virgin Mary, eager to share in Elizabeth's happiness and to confide
that she too would bear a child, traveled down the dusty road from
Nazareth. On Mary's arrival, she was amazed when Elizabeth, having
foreseen knowledge, greeted her as "mother of my Lord."
Elizabeth's salutation was in these words: "Blessed art thou among
women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And how have I deserved that
the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, the moment that the
sound of thy greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leapt for joy.
And blessed is she who has believed, because the things promised her by
the Lord shall be accomplished."

The Gospel story tells us further that at Elizabeth's delivery her
friends and neighbors rejoiced with her, and when the child was brought
to be circumcised, they were going to call him after his father Zachary,
but his mother said, "His name shall be John."

Excerpted from Lives of Saints, Published by John J. Crawley &
Co., Inc.

St. Zachary

St. Zachary's feast is celebrated on the same day as that of St.
Elizabeth, his wife. He was of the tribe of bia, and a member of the
priestly class. It was normal for the priests whose time it was to
serve in the temple to cast lots each day for the performance of the
various rituals. One day, during Zachary's service, the
privilege of offering incense on the altar fell to him,
and while he was alone before the altar performing this rite, the Angel
Gabriel appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar. Zachary was
troubled and afraid. Then Gabriel spoke, saying that the prayers of the
priest and his wife would be answered; a son was to be born to them, and
his name was to be John. Zachary found this hard to believe, for both he
and Elizabeth were advanced in years. Overcoming his fear, he asked the
angel for some sign. Because he doubted, the angel announced that Zachary
would be stricken dumb and would regain the power of speech only when the
prophecy was fulfilled. Then the angel disappeared and Zachary came forth
from the temple.

The people saw that he was unable to speak and they knew
then that he had received a vision from the Lord.

Elizabeth conceived and gave birth to the one who was to be the Precursor
of the Lord. After eight days, when the child was about to be
circumcised, Elizabeth told the people that he was to be named John; and
Zachary, still unable to speak, asked for a tablet, and on it he wrote
the words, "John is his name." At this moment Zachary's tongue
was loosed, and he began to praise the Lord. The New Testament tells us
nothing further concerning St. Zachary. In Hebrew his name means
"Jehovah hath remembered."

Excerpted from Lives of Saints, Published by John J. Crawley &
Co., Inc.